Oscar night

Stephanie and I watched the main remaining Oscar contenders (belatedly) last night (though we missed the beginnings of both movies). Stephanie and I saw “Juno,” which cut a little close to home with its story of teen pregnancy. The movie wasn’t cute if not epic and the wise-cracking, somewhat cynical pregnant teen (played by Ellen Page) reminded me somewhat of Laura Dern’s pregnant young woman in “Citizen Ruth.” Page’s Juno was less conniving. The actors who played her family, friends, and especially the married couple who consider adopting (headlined by ex-“Alias” star Jennifer Garner - pictured above top with Page and Jason Bateman who played Garner's character's husband) gave good performances. Certainly, this is the least somber/depressing of a somber lot of 2008 five Oscar Best Picture-nominated movies. (Directing was Jason Reitman, who helmed Vincent favorite "Thank You for Smoking" a couple of years ago.)

Immediately thereafter, I saw “No Country for Old Men” (sans Stephanie). Not as relentless and methodical as “There Will Be Blood,” still the Coen Brothers-directed story - based on a Carmoc McCarthy novel - set in Texas - of small-time operator trying to navigate between his family, a brutal enforcer after him, and a small-town sheriff makes up for the lack of blood in “Blood” (with hints of their earlier “Fargo”). Javier Bardem’s Oscar-winning performance as the enforcer is stupendous (Bardem pictured above bottom), and the movie’s commentary on violence, conflict, and deception in contemporary America (is it new or has it always been here?) – partly via the sheriff character played by Tommy Lee Jones is thought-provoking. Not sure if this is a country for old men . . . or anyone else.